Florida Senate - 2026                                     SB 420
       
       
        
       By Senator Burgess
       
       
       
       
       
       23-00134B-26                                           2026420__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to patriotic displays in classrooms;
    3         amending s. 1003.44, F.S.; requiring each district
    4         school board to adopt rules to require the display of
    5         portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in
    6         certain classrooms; requiring the Department of
    7         Education to select the portraits and make them
    8         available to each school district; providing an
    9         effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Subsection (4) of section 1003.44, Florida
   14  Statutes, is amended to read:
   15         1003.44 Patriotic programs; rules.—
   16         (4) Each district school board shall adopt rules to
   17  require, in all of the schools of the district and in each
   18  building used by the district school board:,
   19         (a) The display of the state motto, “In God We Trust,”
   20  designated under s. 15.0301, in a conspicuous place.
   21         (b) The display of portraits of George Washington and
   22  Abraham Lincoln in a conspicuous place in each classroom that is
   23  primarily used for social studies instruction, and in each
   24  kindergarten through grade 5 classroom. The department shall
   25  select the portraits and make them available to each school
   26  district.
   27         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.